Filipino star Nonito “The Flash” Donaire kept his International Boxing Federation flyweight crown following a knockout victory over Mexican challenger Luis Maldonado at the Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut .

Halfway around the world at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City , Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista and AJ “Bazooka” Banal prevailed over their Mexican opponents yesterday.

The end came at the 1:16 mark of Round 8, after a powerful flurry unleashed by Donaire had Maldonado on the ropes and the referee calling a halt to proceedings to save the Mexican from further punishment.

Donaire clobbered his overmatched Mexican foe throughout the fight with crisp left and right hooks that set up his punishing haymakers that left the Mexican bloodied and looking like a beaten pulp.

"I guess my validation was today but I didn't feel my best," Donaire said. "I felt sluggish. I didn't have my legs. I don't know what the problem was. I couldn't move well so I tried to rely on my upper body movement."

Donaire, who claimed the crown from Armenian Vic Darchinyan in July, improved to 19-1 with his 12th early stoppage for his 18th triumph in a row despite hurting his left hand early in the fight.

"I've always had that problem but it's OK. I still got the victory," he said. "I'm happy for my country. We have four world champions now."

Maldonado fell to 37-2 with one drawn after being knocked down for only the second time in his pro career.

"He wasn't awkward but he was a lot defensive. I couldn't get through," said Donaire. "I knew he was a tough fighter. I respect him. I hit him with a good uppercut right on the button and he came back. He gave me a hell of a fight."

Donaire opened a cut over Maldonado's left eye in the second round and another over the right eye in the fourth, hammering the gutty and bloodied challenger throughout the first half of the fight.

In the seventh round, Donaire landed a stunning uppercut followed by a powerful left hook that dropped Maldonado to his knees, his only taste of the canvas other than when Darchinyan sent him down 18 months ago.

The Mexican then fell onto the canvas but rose at the count of eight to greet the bell ending the round.

But it was only a delay of his fate. Donaire pressed the attack early in the eighth, pounding the Mexican with a barrage in a corner and finishing with a powerful left that prompted referee Charlie Dwyer to halt the fightviving another overwhelming round from the Filipino.

Not to be outdone, Bautista, who is coming off a shocking first round knockout loss at the hands of Mexican Daniel Ponce De Leon, won by unanimous decision over Antonio "Barrio" Meza of Mexico.

The judges scored 118-110, 117-111 and 116-112, all for the boxer from Bohol , who hiked his record to 24-1-0 with 17 knockouts.

Banal showed his immense potential by beating another Mexican Jovanny Soto by knockout.

The referee stopped the fight in the ninth round when a rampaging Banal caught Soto in the ropes and pummeled him with heavy head and body shots.*CPT/AFP

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